Historic Walks

Walking from Salisbury out through the estate of Clarendon Park, the footpath leads up a gentle slope through this medieval deer park and it's an easy stroll to a fascinating and largely forgotten former Royal Palace.

Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Thomas a Beckett would all have been here in times past, we met with Professor Tom James who gave us some background information.

The former Royal Palace

English Heritage and the Clarendon Estate are involved in the reclamation and preservation of this site under Tom's expert guidance, and the ruins, setting, and wonderful views over Salisbury and the surrounding countryside make this one of the best kept secrets of the whole of Wiltshire and the South.

The well marked footpath leads through beautiful forest and over to the village of Pitton, with car parking and a lovely country pub for refreshment.

Moving on, the path follows the route of a Roman Road, along stretches of which it is said the ghostly footfalls of the legions can sometimes still be heard.

The characteristically dead straight road leads across the county border into Hampshire through gently rolling hills and farmland with ancient trees and woodland and sightings of buzzards, chiffchaff, kestrels, foxes and crocuses just beginning to herald the onset of spring.

Well away from busy roads, this stretch of the walk is rewarding for its serenity and gentle, quintessentially English beauty.

The walk leads through beautiful forest

Onwards a couple of miles and the footpath descends into the village of Houghton where the Clarendon Way crosses the River Test in its glorious valley.

The footpath crosses the Test over a sheep bridge very close to The Boot pub and along more Roman road towards the Farley Country Park and Nature reserve, passing through fabulous water meadows and buzzing with wildlife.

In the centre of the country park is Farley Mount with its striking Pyramid- like structure on top. Visible for miles around, this structure marks the grave of a very special horse with a most unusual name- the legend is told on a plaque at the site and is worth a visit to read - I'll not give the story away here.

The commanding position of Farley Mount gives us the first glimpse of Winchester, our destination, in the distance, and also of St Catherine's Hill, the next section of our journey.

The path to the top of St Catherine's Hill can be quite taxing, depending upon which route is taken, but the rewards for the intrepid are wonderful.

The place is steeped in legends and mysticism and there are stories which tell of King Arthur making camp there. There is also a miz-maze cut into the top of the hill, said to be an act of devotion by its architect - though clearly it offered him no comfort or release, as it's also said that he hung himself from a nearby tree soon after his task was complete!

Farley Mount

Perhaps it was that steep walk up the hill every day….

Onwards through the wonderfully named housing estate of Oliver's Battery, where Cromwell placed his artillery when laying siege to Winchester and its Cathedral Close during the Civil War, we proceed, downhill all the way, to the Banks of the River Itchen and the beautiful Cathedral of Winchester.

This Cathedral does not have the soaring spire of Salisbury, but is no less steeped in history, boasting as it does, what is said to be King Arthur's legendary Round Table, amongst its many other historical and ecclesiastical riches.

At all of 24 miles, the Clarendon Way is a wonderful walk to take a weekend over, or else to take in smaller chunks with the aid of a car and some easy navigation.

Taking in, as it does, so many interesting and lesser known places, it offers so much for the walker that I urge all of you to grab your boots and get out there! You'll not be sorry.